Written by Happy New Year! Our first meeting for the year, a month gone already and so much to do in the Garden! A common theme of our meetup this month is the amazing growth we’re experiencing at the moment – grass and weeds turning our gardens into jungles! But if you ask me, this is so much better than it being dry and hot and you’re constantly watering and plants still die because they just get a drink and then it’s a blasting furnace again! Whereas at the moment, it’s just like a humid, well irrigated hot house!
I (Lucy) started the group discussion with a roundup of our committee meeting, which was held before the Group get-together. A brief summary of that follows:
- Gympie Sustainable Futures Expo will be in June and the Off Grid Expo in August – We will revisit closer to the time, however if we can get enough volunteers to man the stalls, we will try and do both.
- Seed and Plant stalls proposed: 2nd Saturday of the month at the Community Gardens and then Mothar Mountain and the last Saturday of the month at Chatsworth. Once again, we’ll need volunteers, plus people to grow and donate plants. We discussed supplying seed raising mix and seeds to people to do this. More information in a followup email soon.
- We would like to start the garden/farm visits in March so if you would like to host one, please let me know – use the Contact Us form to let me know.
- We’d like more people to start using the website – discussion forums especially. The more it gets used, the more familar we will get with it.
Then onto what’s happening in individuals lives or gardens in relation to permaculture. I’ve been busy processing mangoes – freezing and drying mostly. Bunya nuts are on the go at the moment and working on various recipes and ways to preserve these – freezing cooked ones and drying for flour. I’ve also discovered that using a pipe cutter seems to be the best way to cut the nuts in halves – that is, unless you have a fancy purpose-built guillotine, which I don’t….yet.
Serge too has managed to preserve a lot of mangoes. His garden is going well and so is his chicken production – he has point of lay hens for sale – $35 each and organically fed. If you’re interested and you don’t have his contact details, please use the Contact Us form and I’ll pass it on to him.
Narayana has everything growing and is especially loving her eggplants (I’m jealous! Mine aren’t so good!). She’s having trouble with birds in the Mango tree, which is too large to net – asking for advice on pruning the mango to make it smaller? Also advice on pruning other trees. Figs have low branches – these could be root suckers and should be removed. Bananas – she’s concerned they’re too close. The suggestion was to just remove the excess – Need Grandmother, mother and daughter, so remove any others. Compost turning question – either take the plastic compost bin off and turn over or purchase an auger for turning it in the bin. You can get a 3inch auger that will go on a cordless drill which makes it easier.
Willem is having problems with ants – they are everywhere. Some ideas – activity in the ant infested areas will usually make them move on; tea tree mulch is good to deter ants, as is coffee grounds. He also asked for advice on inoculating and using biochar. Suggestions were to make it as small as possible – mulcher or cement mixer can work. Then inoculate with worm, compost or alfalfa tea – soaking for about an hour. Serge lays out biochar, rock minerals and then compost in any new bed. Willem wants to lay it on top of the ground and then mulch over – this would work.
Naomi has a jungle like everyone else. She’s also realising a goal she’s had of having a fruiting tree every month of the year. Congratulations to her! That’s a great goal to achieve and so rewarding. She’s having trouble with her irrigation system since going to a solar pump as it doesn’t have the same pressure. Suggestion was to change the drippers over to ones that require less pressure to work.
Wendy is having trouble with her garden just being too hot! She may need to look at shade cloth in future. She’s having great success with horse manure and making a tea to water the plants. Mark is enjoying monster passionfruit!
Jim and Renee are also struggling with the over grown jungle that their vegetable garden has become. Jim is asking if anyone knows anyone that is interested in doing some work for him in the garden. Renee is happy to be finally harvesting leaves from her yerba mate plant.
Feather is a newcomer – welcome! She has just completed a PDC and is excited to grow food and not lawns!
Regula is looking for recipes for Lagos Spinach. She also mentioned that you can eat parsley root – they are related to carrots and can be eaten in the same way. I wish I’d known that a few months ago when I was pulling out all my self sown parsley!
Ariel is having water troubles – Cooloola pump and irrigation or the Pump House are both good options for getting some help. She also needs two large gum trees cut up for firewood, so if anyone knows anyone that could help with that, please leave a comment.
Jennifer has been away a lot so planted her gardens with cover crops and has had amazing growth……now to do something with it.
Roxy and Dan have been planting a few trees and making compost. Roxy is asking for advice on what to plant in a shady area in winter – leafy greens, herbs, lettuce, celery were suggested. Not anything fruiting.
Des is also fighting weeds but is enjoying pomegranates and moringas that have grown well, and limes! Bitter melon also growing well, but it has limited uses, although is a very potent natural medicine. Lissa was selling flowers commercially but isn’t at the moment and is going to put more focus on perennial flowers. They are battling all the wildlife and are considering turning their farm into the Pie Creek Zoo.
There is always something to learn at one of these gatherings, so come along and ask all the questions you need answers to and give all the advice you can. This meeting is all about the permaculture ethic of People care……and Fair share if you include the harvest swap, which is always very well supported. And you don’t always need to bring something to take something – there’s always more than people need.
Until next month…..happy gardening/weeding/planting…..
